US and Russia Begin Talks to End Ukraine War

The United States and Russia have initiated diplomatic talks aimed at finding a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine, raising hopes for peace efforts.

The United States and Russia are conducting discussions in Saudi Arabia concerning the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This marks their first face-to-face meeting since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion three years ago.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is in talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. With Ukraine and Europe not invited, the question arises: who else has a seat at the table?

Our correspondent, Tom Bateman, reports that both parties sat in silence before the meeting commenced. When I asked Rubio if the US was marginalizing Ukraine, he did not respond.

The US describes the talks as an initial step to determine whether Russia is “serious” about ending the war, whereas Russia expresses its hope to normalize relations with America.

However, President Volodymyr Zelensky asserts that Ukraine will not acknowledge any agreements made in discussions from which it is excluded.

European leaders are eager to participate as well, having convened an emergency summit yesterday. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated he would contemplate deploying British troops to Ukraine if a long-term peace agreement is reached, although other nations were hesitant about this approach.

In various sectors, particularly entertainment and sports, Saudi Arabia has invested substantial sums to advance its goal of becoming a prominent global player.

On the diplomatic front, Saudi leadership has been actively bolstering its position. Throughout President Biden’s tenure, the Kingdom strategically shifted away from depending solely on the United States as its primary international ally.

The Saudis emphasized their intention to prioritize their own interests by forming closer ties with countries considered key rivals of the US, such as Russia and China.

The Saudis would have welcomed Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

However, concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record continue to be raised at international forums from time to time.

It is evident that the Saudis are determined to pursue their ambition of becoming a key player in global diplomacy.

While discussions between U.S. and Russian officials are ongoing in Saudi Arabia, Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, is conducting separate meetings in Europe.

His initial meeting took place in Brussels with Antonio Costa, the President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, the leader of the European Commission.

Von der Leyen emphasized the significance of the discussion, stating: “Our goal is to collaborate with the US in achieving a fair and enduring peace for Ukraine.”

The next destination is Poland, where President Andrzej Duda announced his plans to welcome Kellogg at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw.

He then travels to Kyiv, Ukraine. The day before, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his desire to bring Kellogg to the frontline.

According to Ukrainian authorities, Russian strikes on civilian residential buildings in Ukraine persisted right before the talks in Riyad.

An 80-year-old man has died in Orikhiv, a frontline town in the Zaporizhzhia region, after his house was shelled, according to Ivan Fedorov, the head of the administration.

In Dolynska, located in central Ukraine and hundreds of miles from the frontline, a Russian drone created a hole in the wall of a residential high-rise building. According to the interior ministry, two children and an adult sustained injuries during this attack.

The ministry also released intense footage showing a Russian drone assault on rescue workers who had arrived at the site of an earlier attack. This previous strike targeted a tanker delivering fresh water to Kostyantynivka residents in the eastern Donetsk region.

According to the ministry, the attacks resulted in injuries to the head of Kostyantynivka’s administration, two rescue workers, and two police officers.